FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35  
36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   >>  
ep blue eyes; but Sweyn's features were perfect as a young god's, while Christian's showed faulty details. Thus, the line of his mouth was set too straight, the eyes shelved too deeply back, and the contour of the face flowed in less generous curves than Sweyn's. Their height was the same, but Christian was too slender for perfect proportion, while Sweyn's well-knit frame, broad shoulders, and muscular arms, made him pre-eminent for manly beauty as well as for strength. As a hunter Sweyn was without rival; as a fisher without rival. All the countryside acknowledged him to be the best wrestler, rider, dancer, singer. Only in speed could he be surpassed, and in that only by his younger brother. All others Sweyn could distance fairly; but Christian could outrun him easily. Ay, he could keep pace with Sweyn's most breathless burst, and laugh and talk the while. Christian took little pride in his fleetness of foot, counting a man's legs to be the least worthy of his members. He had no envy of his brother's athletic superiority, though to several feats he had made a moderate second. He loved as only a twin can love--proud of all that Sweyn did, content with all that Sweyn was; humbly content also that his own great love should not be so exceedingly returned, since he knew himself to be so far less love-worthy. Christian dared not, in the midst of women and children, launch the horror that he knew into words. He waited to consult his brother; but Sweyn did not, or would not, notice the signal he made, and kept his face always turned towards White Fell. Christian drew away from the hearth, unable to remain passive with that dread upon him. "Where is Tyr?" he said suddenly. Then, catching sight of the dog in a distant corner, "Why is he chained there?" "He flew at the stranger," one answered. Christian's eyes glowed. "Yes?" he said, interrogatively. "He was within an ace of having his brain knocked out." "Tyr?" "Yes; she was nimbly up with that little axe she has at her waist. It was well for old Tyr that his master throttled him off." Christian went without a word to the corner where Tyr was chained. The dog rose up to meet him, as piteous and indignant as a dumb beast can be. He stroked the black head. "Good Tyr! brave dog!" They knew, they only; and the man and the dumb dog had comfort of each other. Christian's eyes turned again towards White Fell: Tyr's also, and he strained against the length of the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35  
36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   >>  



Top keywords:
Christian
 

brother

 

turned

 
corner
 

chained

 

worthy

 
content
 

perfect

 

remain

 
passive

unable

 

children

 

launch

 
suddenly
 
consult
 

signal

 

notice

 

waited

 
horror
 

length


hearth

 

master

 

throttled

 

indignant

 

stroked

 

piteous

 

nimbly

 

comfort

 

stranger

 

catching


distant

 

answered

 
knocked
 

glowed

 

interrogatively

 
strained
 

shoulders

 

muscular

 

slender

 

proportion


eminent

 

acknowledged

 
wrestler
 

countryside

 

fisher

 
beauty
 

strength

 
hunter
 
height
 
showed